Robotic devices, such as robotic arms, may include various components or attachments that are designed to interact with the environment. Such a component or attachment is refereed to as an “end effector”.
The structure and function of an end effector may vary according to the tasks it is intended to perform. For instance, an end effector referred to as a “gripper” may be attached or integrated with a robotic arm, such that the robotic arm can used for applications that involve picking up and/or moving objects.
Further, various types of gripper end effectors are possible. For example, impactive grippers may include jaws or opposing “fingers” which are moveable to physically grasp an object. As another example, astrictive grippers may secure an object by creating a vacuum between the gripper surface and the object, or by utilizing magneto-adhesion or electro-adhesion between the gripper surface and the object. Other types of grippers and other types of end effectors are also possible.